Coupling



May ZO, 1,947. D; H, BROWNIELL 2,420,858

COUPLING Filed May 2o, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 40@ 2i 47 f4 1,5 /J x9 25 rmer/sys May 2o, 1947.

D. H. BRowNELL 2,420,858

COUPLING v l Filed May 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. A75/IH aw/YELL Hrm/aways Patented May 20,17947' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLING Dean H. Brownell, Rocky River, Ohio Application May 2i), 1944, Serial No. 536,480

9 Claims.

This invention relates to couplings or iittings for tubes, conduits and the like and aims to provide a novel form of coupling which can be quickly and easily applied to the tube or conduit without requiring any threaded connections or soldered joints, and which is small and compact so as to permit a plurality of conduit connections to be located in a row in relatively closely spaced relation to each other.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a novel form of coupling or the like having a conduit-receiving sleeve carrying a snap-action means for connecting the coupling with the conduit.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel form of coupling or the like embodying an expansible resilient sleeve having internal locking means thereon for connecting the coupling with a conduit-end. y

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel coupling of the character mentioned in which the conduit-end is flared and carries a gland and a packing, and in which the conduit-receiving sleeve of the coupling has resilient locking means thereon for snap engagement with such gland.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side View of the coupling embodying the present invention and showing the coupling applied to the end of a tube or conduit;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the coupling;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the coupling substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 isa side elevation showing another form of my novel coupling;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the modiiied form of coupling;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View taken' through the modified coupling substantially on line I---EA of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a partiallongitudinal sectional view taken through still another form of my novel coupling; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View on an enlarged scale, showing the gland of the coupling of Fig. 7 in detached relation and with the spring thereof in a compressed condition.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs; 1 to 3 inclusive, I show my coupling I0 applied tol a tube or conduit II and having an externally threaded portion I2 adapted to be screwed into an opening of a body or device to: which the conduit II is to be connected. The body Ia. of the coupling has a fluid passage I3 extending therethrough and is also provided with a projecting sleeve I4 containing a recess or stuftingbox I5 into which the end portion I5 of the conduit II extends. The recess I5 communicates with the passage I3, but is of a larger size or diameter and the inner end of the recess provides a transverse wall or shoulder `I'I against which the end of the conduit II abuts.

A packing ring I8, of suitable material, is 1ocated between the conduit and the sleeve III so as to lie in the recess I5. A gland I9 in the form of a sleeve having a head or ange lea at its outer end extends into the recess I5 and engages the packing ring I8 to subject the latter to compression for forming a fluid-tight seal around the conduit.

As shown in the drawings, the packing ring I8 and the gland I9 are carried by the conduit II\ and are retained thereon by providing the inner end of the conduit with an enlargement or iiared portion 2B. The conduit-end I5, with the packing ring and gland thereon, is inserted into the sleeve I4 of the coupling so as to bring the ared end 20 into the abutting relation with the trans.- verse shoulder I'I. Y

For connecting the conduit-end with the coupling I0, I provide the latter with an outer sleeve 22 Which is adapted for locking cooperation with the gland I9. The sleeve` 22 is an expansible sleeve comprising a ring portion 23 and an annular series of axially extending resilient ngers 24, connected with such ring portion and projecting axially beyond the end of the inner sleeve I4. The resilient fingers 24 are provided adja cent their outer ends with axially spaced internal locking projections or lugs 25 and 26 which are shaped for snap engagement with the ange or head I9a on the outer end of the gland I9.

c In attaching the coupling Ill to the conduit I I, the flared conduit-end Iii is inserted into the inner sleeve I4 through the open outer end of the resilient sleeve 22, as mentioned above. By means of a suitable tool, the gland I9 is pushed along the conduit I I and into the resilient sleeve 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the head Ida of the gland has travelled inwardly past the first row or group of locking lugs 25. This inward movement of the gland pushes the packing I8 into the recess or stuffing-box I5 ands when the gland has reached its locked position shown in Fig. 3, the packing I 8` will be subjected to compression and will form a seal between the conduit and the sleeve I4 of the coupling.

As shown in the drawings, the outer end of the resilient sleeve 22 is provided with an internal chamfer 21 so as to facilitate the inward movement of the head of the gland to its locked position. The head of the gland is preferably also provided with a bevel or taper I9b which cooperates with the internal chamfer 21 during movement of the gland into the resilient sleeve. When the gland `I9 is moved into the resilient sleeve 22, in the manner just explained, the locking lugs 25 spring inwardly with a snap action behind the head I9a of the gland and hold the gland in engagement with packing ring I8 and at the same time retain the conduit-end I6 in the sleeve I4 of the coupling. To prevent the outward thrust .4 33a. and 34a, each of which carries a packing ring 38 and a gland 39. The coupling also includes an outer sleeve 40 having a ring portion 4I engaging in an annular groove 42 for connecting such outer sleeve with the body 35. The outer sleeve 40 has outwardly projecting resilient portions 43 and 44, which cooperate with the glands 39 for connecting the conduit-ends 33a and 34a with the coupling. The resilient portions 43 and 44 are substantially identical in construction with the resilient portion of the outer sleeve 22 described above, and are provided with internal locking lugs 46 and 41 adapted for snap engagement with the flange or head 48 of the glands 39.

As shown in Fig. 6, the body 35 of the coupling can be provided with beveled or convex portions 49 against which the flared inner ends 5E! of the of the gland I9 from spreading the resilient iin- Y gers 24, I prefer to construct the gland so that the outer end face thereof is dished or concave as indicated at 28.

The outer sleeve 22 is connected with the body Illa of the coupling preferably by providing an annular groove 29 on such body and in which the ring portion 23 engages. The sleeve 22 can be constructed in various ways, for example, it can be in the form of an initially solid sleeve or tube in which the slots 30 are cut by means of a suitable tool so as to divide the sleeve into the resilient iingers 24, after which the slotted sleeve can be assembled on the body of the coupling by rolling or spinning the ring portion 23 into the annular groove 29. The resilient sleeve 22 can also be made from flat stock by slotting and otherwise machining the same to provide the resilient fingers 24, and then rolling the slotted stock to sleeve form around the inner sleeve I4 and welding or otherwise connecting the adjacent ends of the rolled material.

As shown in the drawings, a retaining ring or washer 3| can be provided at the inner end of the packing I8 to prevent such packing from being squeezed around the end of the conduit into the fluid passage I3. As mentioned above, the resilient sleeve 22 is preferably provided with two rows of the locking lugs 25 and 26. The inner row of lugs 29 provides a second position to which the gland I9 can be moved for subjecting the packing I8 to an additional compressive force for tightening the joint or improving the seal.

It will be seen from the novel construction above described for the coupling I9, that the conduitend I5 can be quickly and easily connected with the coupling by simply pushing the gland I9 into the outer sleeve 22 to its locked position therein. It will be seen also that by inserting a suitable tool into the chamfered end of the resilient sleeve 22, the fingers 24 can be sprung outwardly or expanded a sufcient distance to release the gland I9 whereupon the conduit-end I6, with the gland and packing thereon, can be `withdrawn from the coupling. It will be seen also that my novel coupling is small and compact and that since no threaded connections are employed, it is not necessary to provide clearance space fora wrench adjacent the coupling and, therefore, conduits using my novel coupling can be arranged in rows or groups in relatively closely spaced relation to each other.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I show a mcdied form of my coupling Whichis used for connecting a pair of tubes 'or conduits 33 and 34. This modified form of coupling comprises a body 35 having outwardly or oppositely projecting sleeve portions 36 and 31 adapted torece'ive the ared conduit-ends conduits 33 and 34 abut. The packing rings 3B are preferably provided at their inner ends with a ring or insert 5I, which serves as a retainer for preventing the packing from being squeezed into the passage 52 of the coupling by the pressure of the glands 39 thereagainst.

In Fig. 7, I show still another form of my novel coupling, which is similar to the couplings already described above, but in which a compression spring 55 is 'embodied in the gland 5S so as to maintain the packing 51 continuously under compression.

In the modified construction of Fig. '7, the coupling 58 is provided with inner and outer sleeves 59 and 59, such as those above described for the couplings of Figs. 3 and 6, and the resilient fingers 6I of the outer sleeve 6I) are provided with internal locking lugs 62 and 63.

The gland 56 comprises a sleeve portion 56a, and a head or flange portion 55D with which the locking means of the resilient fingers 6I has snap engagement. The spring 55 is disposed around the sleeve portion 55a so as to continuously urge the latter inwardly against the packing 51 while the head 55h is held in locked position by the lugs 62. The compressive force exerted on the packing 51 causes the latter to maintain a seal between the conduit 64 and the sleeve 59 of the coupling. A ring or insert 65 provided at the inner end of packing 51 prevents the latter from being squeezed into the passage 66 of the coupling.

While I have illustrated and described my novel couplings in considerable detail, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be correspondingly limited, but regard my invention as including all changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described lmy invention, I claim:

1. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a conduit-receiving sleeve provided with resilient locking means, a packing in said sleeve and surrounding the conduit, and a gland in said sleeve and surrounding said conduit, said gland having a snap engagement with Said resilient locking means by which it is retained in said sleeve in engagement with said packing.

2. A coupling or-the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion and having an enlarged inner end, a packing and a gland in said sleeve portion and retained on said conduit by said enlarged inner end, and resilient locking means on said body and adapted for snap engagement with said gland.

3. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion and having an enlarged inner end, a packing and a gland in said sleeve portion and retained on said conduit by said enlarged inner end, and resilient means on said body and extending axially beyond said sleeve portion and provided with internal locking means adapted for snap engagement with said gland.

f1. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion and having an enlarged inner end, a packing and a gland in said sleeve portion and retained on said conduit by said enlarged inner end, a packing retaining ring surrounding said conduit and engaged by the inner end of said packing, and an expansibleresilient sleeve carried by said body and surrounding said sleeve portion and provided with internal locking means adapted for snap engagement with saidgland.

5. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion and having an enlarged inner end, a packing and a gland in said sleeve portion and retained on said conduit by said enlarged inner end, said gland being axially shiftable on said conduit for movement against said packing, and an annular series of resilient fingers carried by said sleeve portion and having their outer ends projecting therebeyond, said outer ends having internal lugs thereon adapted for locking engagement with said gland.

6. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion, a packing between the sleeve portion and conduit, a gland extending into the sleeve portion around the conduit and having a head thereon, said gland being movable along said conduit for engaging said packing, and an expansible sleeve surrounding said sleeve portion and having internal lugs thereon adapted for locking engagement with the head of said gland, said expansible sleeve having an internal chamfer at its outer end and the head of said gland having an external bevel thereon for cooperation with said chamfer for facilitating movement of said gland inwardly past said lugs.

7. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve portion, a conduit extending into said sleeve portion, a packing between the sleeve portion and conduit, a gland extending into the sleeve portion around the conduit and having a head thereon, said gland being movable along said Vconduit for engaging said packing, and an expansible sleeve surrounding said sleeve portion and having axially spaced annular rows of internal lugs thereon adapted for successive locking engagement with the head of said gland.

8. A coupling or the like comprising a body having a sleeve adapted to receive a conduit therein, a packing between the sleeve and conduit, a gland extending into the sleeve around the conduit, and an expansible sleeve carried by the first-mentioned sleeve and having means thereon adapted for locking engagement with said gland, said gland comprising relatively movable parts including a spring for pressing one of such parts against'said packing while another of said parts is `held by the locking means of said expansible sleeve.

9. A coupling or the like comprising a body having outwardly extending sleeves each adapted to receive a conduit-end therein, a packing between each sleeve and conduit, a gland extending into each sleeve, and an outer sleeve mount ed on said body and having expansible locking portions extending beyond the rstmentioned sleeves and engaging the glands in the latter.

DEAN H. BROWNELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UN'ITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,697,539 Olsson et al Jan. 1, 1929 770,525 Hussey Sept. 20, 1904 1,966,718 Hanson July 17, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 187,195 Switzerland Jan. 2, 1937 

